Saturday, February 7, 2009

"He went off to a lonely place"

Priests and religious men and women also go "off", away from the comfort of the familiar and the common, to the "lonely place" of celibacy and obedience for the sake of communion in love with the Father. Thus they are dedicated to being configured more closely to the Lord in consecration through prayer and action, and to thus lead others to Him.

"All the ordained ministers of the Latin Church, with the exception of permanent deacons, are normally chosen from among men of faith who live a celibate life and who intend to remain celibate 'for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.' (Mt 19:12) Called to consecrate themselves with undivided heart to the Lord and to 'the affairs of the Lord,' (1 Cor 7:32) they give themselves entirely to God and to men. Celibacy is a sign of this new life to the service of which the Church's minister is consecrated; accepted with a joyous heart celibacy radiantly proclaims the Reign of God." (CCC 1579)

Liturgy the "apex"

Raccomandato

MCITL 10th Anniversary: The Catechism and Scriptures together in the Sunday homily

"The integration of elements of the Catechism of the Catholic Church with the readings from the Lectionary offers us an opportunity to demonstrate how the Word of God is able to animate our personal and communal life with Christ and, at the same time, articulate the Church’s faith that has been immeasurably enriched by the living tradition of twenty centuries."

-- Archbishop Donald Wuerl, intervention at the Synod of Bishops on the Word of God